Substantive Law

I. PURPOSE

Each ADC Substantive Law Committee shall:

A. Promote the goals of ADC, which are education, justice, balance, economics and professionalism;

B. Provide education and information to ADC members, the judiciary and the public;

C. Implement directives from the Officers and Board of Directors;

D. Track developments in its substantive law area;

E. Bring to the attention of the Officers and Board of Directors legislative issues, case opinions and other information upon which Board action may be required;

F. Work closely with the Education Committee in the planning and implementation of seminar programs;

G. Produce articles on a regular basis for The ADC Comment;

H. Provide an opportunity for networking among the membership

I. Provide quarterly updates to the ADC web page regarding committee activities.

II. ORGANIZATION

Each Committee shall have a Chair and Vice Chair. The Chair, in its discretion, may also establish Subcommittees and appoint Subcommittee Chairs to further carry out the purposes of the Committee. The specific duties and responsibilities are as follows:

A. Chair:

1. The Chair shall be appointed by the President of ADC and shall serve a one-year term, commencing on March 1, with the term expiring on the last day of February of the following year, and shall be eligible for re-appointment to a second consecutive one-year term.

2. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair to set the agenda of the committee and to preside over meetings. The Chair shall also be responsible for seeing that the purposes of the Committee are carried out.

3. The Chair shall submit a status report of the activities of the Committee to the Board Member charged by the President of the ADC with Substantive Law Committee oversight at least one two weeks before each scheduled Board meeting. The contents of this report shall contain all necessary information to inform the Board of the Committee's activities and shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) The activities of the Committee since the last report, including a report of any Committee meeting;

(b) The Committee's plans, including any special projects;

(c) Any other information that should be brought to the attention of the Officers and Board of Directors.

4. The Chair may, at its discretion, establish as many Subcommittees, and appoint the Subcommittee Chairs, as the Chair deems necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of the Committee. Each person appointed as a Subcommittee Chair shall serve for a one-year term and will be eligible for re-appointment for a second consecutive one-year term. No person can serve more than two consecutive terms as a Subcommittee Chair for the same subcommittee. This restriction shall not preclude any person from serving as a subcommittee chair for any other subcommittee within the Committee after their term has expired.

5. The Chair will receive on a periodic basis from the ADC Executive Office a list of new Committee members. The Chair shall prepare and forward to each new Committee member a welcome letter within thirty days of receiving notice of the new Committee member. Contents of the letter should include, at a minimum, the following:

(a) Information about the Committee, its activities, plans, goals and projects, and how the new member can become actively involved;

(b) A listing of the various Subcommittees and the person to contact to become an active Subcommittee member;

(c) The date for the next meeting of the Committee.

7. By December 31st of the Chair's first year in office, the Chair shall submit a list of three names to the President of people who have served on the Committee and who the Chair feels are qualified to serve as the next Committee Chair. This number may be increased or decreased at the discretion of the President. By January 31st, the President shall appoint a person to serve as Vice Chair during the second year of the Chair's term, assuming the Chair has been re-appointed for a second one-year term. The Vice Chair will assume this responsibility effective March 1. It is anticipated that the person selected as the Vice Chair will become the Chair the following year, but the appointment of the Chair shall always be made by and at the discretion of the President.

B. Vice Chair:

1. The President of ADC shall appoint, with the advice and counsel of the Committee Chair, a Vice Chair to serve a one-year term. The Vice Chair can be appointed for a second one-year term.

2. The Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in carrying out the purposes of the Committee in the manner directed by the Chair; assume the duties of the Chair whenever the Chair is unavailable to serve; and become familiar with the work and activities of the Committee to the fullest extent possible.

C. If Subcommittees are established; the purposes and responsibilities of each shall be clearly defined. If a Subcommittee is established that involves substantive or other issues that are being addressed by another ADC Committee and/or Subcommittee, the Subcommittee shall coordinate its activities with the other Committee and/or Subcommittees so as to prevent duplication and redundancy of efforts.

D. The Committee as a whole shall meet at least once a year at the Annual Meeting. The Committee may meet more often, in conjunction with a seminar or other program sponsored by the Committee. To the extent feasible, an agenda for the Committee meeting shall be posted on the ADC web page, provided to committee members and to the ADC Executive Board in advance of the meeting. Minutes of the Committee meeting shall be kept with copies circulated to all Committee members and to the ADC Board Member in charge of the Substantive Law Committees within a reasonable time following the meeting.

Appellate

Business Litigation

Construction Litigation

Employment Law

Environmental Law

Healthcare

Insurance

Landowner Liability

Products Liability

Professional Liability

Public Entity

Toxic Torts

Transportation